ORILLIA, Ont. – Provincial police say the data is preliminary, but they’re calling the Labour Day long weekend the deadliest in OPP-patrolled jurisdictions in 20 years.
They report 12 road fatalities – including four in one collision in northeastern Ontario – one marine fatality and one off-road vehicle death during the long weekend.
OPP say they conducted a distracted driving campaign over the long weekend and used social media to call on all road users, particularly passengers, to become part of the solution in reducing the distracted driving-related road deaths.
In spite of these efforts, officers laid close to 800 distracted or inattentive driving charges against motorists during the Labour Day weekend.
It says the campaign brings the total number of distracted driving charges laid to date this year to more than 8,800.